Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team picked up two victories on day two of the Samford Invitational Tournament to mark a historic start in the program's 27 year history. The Bulldogs 7-1 record is the best start out of any team ever to take the field since the program's inception in 1987.

This day would not have been made possible without the extraordinary play of the players themselves. In the first contest of the day, Samford fought back to record a 2-1 win over the University of Evansville (2-1).

Down 1-0 to the Purple Aces, junior Abby Adams crushed her third home run of the year over the left field wall to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.

Now with the lead, junior Mollie Hanson (3-1) proceeded to slam the door shut on the Evansville offense. The native of Dothan, Ala. recorded 13 strike outs, which tied her career-high set on Feb. 23, 2013 against SEMO, and did not issue a walk in the impressive outing.

"When Mollie's drop ball is working; she is hard for anyone in the country to hit." Head Coach Mandy Burford said. "She proved that last year in those big outings against Auburn and Michigan; she proved that again today."

In game two of the twin-bill, the Bulldogs again had to fight back from a deficit but this time it was against a familiar opponent in Eastern Kentucky University (2-5). Samford used the long ball for the second time to snatch a 3-2 victory away from the Colonels.

The common component in the win over EKU was the combined effort of three freshmen.

In the bottom of the fifth inning down 2-1, freshman Abbie Miranda rocketed a two RBI home run over the left field wall to boost Samford ahead of Eastern Kentucky 3-2.

Freshman Grey Adams had an impressive start but it was the relief work of freshman Rebecca Leonard (1-0) that allowed SU to close out the victory over the Colonels. Leonard tossed four complete innings with two strikeouts and scattered two hit while only issuing one walk.

 "The three freshmen are the ones that stand out in this win." Burford said. "Grey (Adams) started the game and kept us in it, then Rebecca (Leonard) came in and shut the door."

"Abbie Miranda, not only did she go yard and scored the two runs that put us ahead." Burford exclaimed. "She's the one that turned a great double play to get the team out of a jam."

The Bulldogs close out the Samford Invitational Tournament tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. with a rematch against Belmont University.